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September 2024 Newsletter

Seasonal Change is in the air…As I took some time off between closing our lovely studio and joining another (thank you Tish Hilyer and Wild Lotus Yoga Collective!) …I’ve been reminded by mother nature and dear friends to do a few things…and thought they might resonate with you as well.

1. Self-Care

a. For me this was massage, a facial, time alone to read and enjoy the summer with being outdoors, enjoying water, and conversations with friends that I’ve neglected far too long

2. Self-Compassion

a. Trying to not judge myself or focus on the word “failure” – allowing a reflection on what I have done well, what my friends and students value from me when I share my true self and how when I approach the world with more compassion, I am able to give that to myself.

3. Care for your inner self

a. Time to reflect, to delve into my inner self…to tune into what makes me happy, what is my true passion and what is my legacy?

Maybe these strike a chord for you – or maybe they prompt you to reflect and focus on what is nurturing for you – right now. There is always time to do this – we need to make an investment and appointment with ourselves.

Classes and Events

Classes at Wild Lotus Yoga Collective – www.wildlotusyogacollective.com or through Mindbody. Currently teaching:

Yin Nidra Monday & Wednesday 12-115pm

Rest & Restore Friday 12-115pm

Sub Alert! Wild Lotus Yoga Collective

Friday Sept 6 4pm YIN (subbing for Tish)

KaiYin Wed 6-715pn and Thur 9-1015am (subbing for Tucker)

Rest & Divine Sleep Friday September 6, 2024, 6-8pm $20

Please register online with www.wildlotusyogacollective.com, sign your waiver and pick classes you want to attend. The classes listed above are currently $10/each or you can buy a pack of class passes to draw upon. You can also access my classes via Mindbody, put in the studio name and it will pull up the classes. I am also working with Tish to find dates to offer a two-hour Rest & Divine Sleep class – that one will be $20/per. Again, you will be able to buy class passes to apply to those sessions.

What is the difference between Yin and Restorative Yoga?

Since I teach both and have extensive training hours logged in both modalities…I get asked this question a lot. Trust me, there are lots of opinions out there as well as teachers who will deliver clearly differentiated yin vs. restorative classes or teachers who will craft blended offerings to suit a theme and/or the students attending class that day. Enjoy these answers as my “opinion of one” – and feel free to reach out if you’d like to enjoy private or semi-private classes with me.

Yin yoga serves as a perfect complement to other yoga practices that offer dynamic movement and muscular engagement. Many times, people describe yin yoga as cooling in contrast to yang yoga as seeking internal heat. This is a simplistic explanation but can serve as a baseline for learning more about yin. While yang yoga (hatha, vinyasa for example) targets the muscular tissues, yin yoga targets the connective tissues such as bones, joints and ligaments as well as the fascia. Yin yoga typically focuses on lower body connective tissues such as hips, pelvis and spine. However, in recent teachings, yin yoga has also begun to explore and weave in upper body elements as we need a full body approach to strengthening and lengthening our connective tissues.

While people new to yin question the stillness or “boring nature” of this practice, it can be challenging due to long holds, a cue to find your inner stillness, while learning to develop a personal awareness of your sensation that aids in connective tissue tone. A yin pose may be held from 1 to 20 minutes, using props and customization of each pose to allow you the personal yin journey.

Restorative yoga, like yin employs long pose holds using props to support you physically. However, unlike yin, restorative yoga uses the props to completely support your body – allowing your body to release fully into the shape of the pose focusing on being at ease, restful and soft. There is no efforting, no working to feel sensation, no pushing or pulling used in this practice. Restorative yoga seeks to allow you a complete surrender into physical, mental and emotional rest. One of my teachers, Judith Hanson Lasater says this, “Restorative yoga is the use of props to support the body in positions of comfort and ease to facilitate relaxation and health. Restorative yoga is about opening, not about stretching. A few of the poses might create a slight stretch, but stretching is not the intention at all.” Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD. PT.

End of Summer Recipe

The fruits and vegetables have been wonderful this summer. One of my teachers, Jennifer Reis, Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra, offered this recipe in her newsletter. I thought I’d share with you…and if you are interested in Jennifer’s offerings sign up for her newsletter at jenniferreisyoga.com and tell her I sent you, her way!

Refresh and Keep Cool! (credit Jennifer Reis @jenniferreisyoga.com)

I offer you a simple pleasure: a salad of cucumber and watermelon, kissed by the sweetness of mint. The cucumber, crisp and clean, offers the taste of the earth, while the watermelon, juicy and red, brings the warmth of the sun itself. Together, they are a symphony of lightness, a balm for the body, and a joy for the soul.

2 TBSPs Lime juice
2 TBSPs Apple Cider vinegar
2 TBSPs organic olive oil
2 Cups of watermelon cut into cubes
2 Cucumbers cut into cubes
1/4 Cup fresh mint leaves finely minced
Seasalt to taste

Toss together in a bowl and enjoy!

Eating watermelon and cucumber is a great way to stay cool internally by ‘eating’ liquids in these fluid-filled fruits (cucumber is 90% water!). Mint is a cooling herb. Seasalt will help you stay more hydrated, rather than expelling too much fluid out. To me nothing tastes quite like watermelon and vinegar together – yum!

Bitsy Merriman Laughing Elephant Yoga

IG: bitsyoga

Facebook: Carolyn Bitsy Merriman, Bitsyoga, Laughing Elephant Yoga Collaborative